Friday, February 1, 2013

No Ammo Needed: LaserLyte Laser Training System: Does it Really Work?

Looking for a way to improve your accuracy and technique? Want to dry fire your pistol without damaging the firing pin? The LaserLyte Laser Training System
(LTS) is a great way to hone your skills safely and quietly without
heading to the range. This clever package allows you to practice a
number of pistols skills at home.

How does it work?

I’m sure the science is far more complicated, but the basic
functionality is easy enough to explain. The laser is contained in a
small brass cartridge that fits in your gun. A sensor on the back of
the cartridge (protected by a firing pin-friendly rubber pad) registers a
firing pin strike. That strike activates a laser pulse that shoots
close enough to point of aim to be a reliable indicator of accuracy.
That is half of the equation. The target is a battery operated light
sensor. When the laser hits the target, it blinks. There is a smaller
circle on the target housing that acts as a switch that displays all of
the shots. Another sensor resets the big target.

Shoot the target. Shoot the display sensor to see where you have hit. Shoot the reset sensor.
The only disadvantage I see in this set up is the delayed response. I
would like for the shots to display as they hit the big target, so I
can tell how I am doing in process. But my guess is the light emitted
by the shot display could interfere with the detection of subsequent
shots. So it stays dark until you shoot the display sensor.
No big deal. It works incredibly well. I used a Beretta PX4 in 9mm for the video, though I have also tested a .45 (a Springfield Armory TRP 1911) and a .380 (a Colt Mustang).
The PX4 is the perfect gun for the LaserLyte, as it allows for practice
with every imaginable shot scenario. But the single actions do just
fine.

LaserLyte Cartridges in .380, 9mm, and .45 ACP

Running double action, for example, is the easiest. The only things missing are the bang and the recoil.
Or you can cock the hammer and run single action, which is how I use the .45 and the .380.
Or, with striker fired guns, practice a tap-rack. This is especially
useful for all semiautomatics, as you may need to clear a jam someday.
But there’s more. I put the target in such a place that would allow
me to practice room entry. The target is a great way to practice point
shooting. It even makes shooting from the hip less embarrassing.
This is the best way to practice at home. I’m convinced of that.
Pulling form a holster. Precision aiming. Rapid fire double action.
The LaserLyte LTS accommodates all of it.
The cartridges come in several pistol calibers: .380, 9mm, .40
S&w, .45 ACP. Rifle enthusiasts will have options, too. There is a
cartridge for .223, and sleeves for larger rounds that will convert the
.223 to fit in larger rifles.
How much does all of this cost? The laser cartridges have an MSRP of
$109.95. The target itself is $219.95. There are occasional deals that
bring them down from those prices, significantly. Regardless, the LTS
is far less expensive than range time and ammunition. And it can keep
you current.
Practice is important. A friend of mine is training for ISPCA
competition. But she’s averse to cold weather. So when the temperature
dropped a couple of weeks ago, she stopped showing up at the range.
When she did return, it took her most of one practice session to get
back to the times she’d been posting before she left. She had regressed
a bit.
Practicing with firearms is best done with live fire. But there are
other options. Some prefer dry firing. Others simply handle their
guns, practicing sighting in and drawing, loading and clearing
problems. But accidents do happen because people are careless.
Safety should be of primary concern. Clear the weapon. Double
check. Check again. I look in the chamber, in the mag well or
cylinder. I make sure that I unload all of the magazines. Then I
maintain trigger control, keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, and
dry fire once, at least, just as the final test. After that, I feel
confident to practice–but I never let down my guard completely. The
good thing about the LTS is that once the cartridge is in the gun, live
rounds cannot be loaded in, not even accidentally.
And those are my two benchmarks for firearms gadgets. Does it work
and is it safe? The LTS works exactly as advertised. And the whole
system is designed to be safe. That doesn’t mean some bozo isn’t going
to be able to find a way to shoot a hole in his wall, but it won’t the a
problem with the LTS.
Check out the LaserLyte webpage for extensive video (bottom of page) of the LTS and the other products they make for training.
Hey LasrLyte–how about a six pack of cartridges in .38? Please?